Ten men gathered in a room. The fear on their faces could not be masked and they knew they had to stop the monster that had caused it. Ten golden spheres were placed in the wooden boxes, each containing a piece of the puzzle, a way to defeat it. The boxes could unlock unlimited power, which could put them in danger. So they split them up, knowing that no one could reach them all over the world. It would take years to track them down. In the meanwhile, one of the members would hide the first box in this town.

“We must be cautious in our choice,” warned one man.

The others nodded, but they greedily stared at the first box. Only one of them knew something that the others didn’t: it required only two people to unlock the secrets within. His plans only included himself and his wife to do so.

“I shall take it!” One dived for the box, pulling out a gun as he did so. The others did the same. Soon the room was a bloody fight, scratching, firing, biting, and bleeding. And then there was silence. Dull eyes stared blankly upwards, never to see again. None was left and the box lay in the remains, buried under soil that had flown during the battle.

Two would unlock it. Who those two were was a mystery. And the town moved on, learning to live with the night. Learning to just be home before sundown. Learning that it was better not to ask and forget….